Electricians, plumbers, builders and every trade in between.
Most of our clients work with their hands. We know CIS, the VAT reverse charge, van and tool claims and the awkward questions about going limited, so you get straight answers from people who deal with the trades every day.
If you are on the tools, we have almost certainly worked with your trade.
- Electricians
- Plumbers and heating engineers
- Builders and groundworkers
- Carpenters and joiners
- Roofers
- Plasterers
- Painters and decorators
- Tilers and kitchen fitters
- Landscapers
- Scaffolders
The six things that trip tradespeople up, handled.
CIS, from both sides
Registration, verifying subcontractors, monthly returns by the 19th, deduction statements, and reclaiming the deductions taken from you, through your tax return or, for companies, against PAYE each month.
VAT and the reverse charge
Registration when you need it, the right scheme for a trade that buys materials, and reverse-charge invoices worded correctly so HMRC and your main contractor are both satisfied.
Sole trader, partnership or limited?
A clear comparison on your own numbers: tax, National Insurance, CIS refunds, liability and admin. Whether you work alone, with a partner or through a company, we set up whichever is right and switch you over when it makes sense.
Your van, tools and gear
A van qualifies for 100% capital allowances in the year you buy it. Tools, PPE, workwear with your logo, phone, insurance and training all count. We make sure nothing is missed.
Making Tax Digital
Most sole traders earning over £50,000 are in from April 2026. We set up receipt capture so you photograph receipts in the van and we do the rest, including every quarterly update.
Paying your team
PAYE for employees, CIS for subcontractors, and clarity on which is which, so you are not caught out by HMRC’s employment status rules or a surprise bill.
Run your business from the van. We run the numbers.
You do not have time for paperwork in the evening, so we take as much of it off you as possible.
Photograph it
Receipts, CIS statements and supplier invoices go into the app from your phone the moment you get them. No shoebox.
We reconcile monthly
Bank feed matched, CIS deductions tracked, VAT return prepared, and anything missing chased before it becomes a problem.
You get a number
What to put aside for tax, what HMRC owe you and when, so nothing lands in January as a surprise.
What you can claim
- Van running costs, or 45p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles and 25p after
- Buying a van: 100% capital allowance in the year of purchase
- Tools, equipment and consumables
- Protective clothing and workwear carrying your logo
- Phone, internet and job-management software
- Public liability, tool and van insurance
- Trade body registrations and certification renewals
- Training that keeps your existing skills current
- Use of home for admin and quotes
- Accountancy and bookkeeping fees
Usually not allowed
- Ordinary clothing, even if you only wear it for work
- Lunch on a local job (travel to a temporary site is different)
- Parking fines and speeding tickets
- Training for a completely new trade
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
I am a subcontractor and 20% is deducted from everything I earn. How do I get it back?
The deductions are advance payments of your tax. If you are a sole trader they are set against your tax bill when we file your self assessment, and HMRC refund any excess, usually within a few weeks of filing. If you trade through a limited company we offset them against the company’s PAYE and CIS liabilities each month and reclaim any balance at the year end.
Do I need to register for VAT?
Only once your taxable turnover passes the VAT registration threshold in any rolling 12-month period, or if you expect to pass it within 30 days. Some tradespeople register voluntarily to reclaim VAT on a van or materials. We will tell you when it is coming and which scheme suits you.
What is the VAT domestic reverse charge?
Since March 2021, when a VAT-registered subcontractor supplies construction services to a VAT-registered contractor who is not the end user, the contractor accounts for the VAT instead of the subcontractor. Your invoice shows no VAT charge and must carry the reverse-charge wording. It affects your cash flow, so some subcontractors move to monthly VAT returns.
Should I go limited?
It depends on your profit, whether you have employees or subcontractors, how much you take out of the business and how much admin you want. Above roughly £40,000 to £50,000 of profit it is worth running the numbers properly, and we will show you the comparison side by side.
Can I claim for my van if I also use it at weekends?
Yes, for the business proportion. We agree a realistic business-use percentage with you and apply it consistently to running costs and capital allowances. A van with little private use is treated far more generously than a car.
Read before you ring.
CIS explained: deductions, refunds and gross payment status
How the Construction Industry Scheme works for subcontractors and contractors, how to get deducted tax back, and when gross payment status is worth applying for.
What can you claim as a self-employed tradesperson?
The expenses HMRC accept for electricians, plumbers, builders and other trades, the ones they do not, and how to claim for your van.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: what sole traders and landlords need to do
From April 2026 many self-employed people and landlords must keep digital records and report to HMRC quarterly. Here is who is affected and how to prepare.
Spend ten minutes with us and see what you are missing.
Bring your last tax return or your CIS statements. We will tell you what we would do differently and what it would cost. Or ring Craig, our senior partner, directly on 07949 534119.